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Okay, we have all seen and done the regular front plank. And we have even seen people do this for 2 minutes, 5 minutes even 10 minutes. But we really believe you should make the plank exercise a little more interesting and add some more diversity. So while the front plank seen below is useful, why don't you try a few more variations — the combinations really become endless.

Front Plank:




You can add lower body movements like toe taps or knee taps, or simply holding one leg up in the air.

Front Plank with Knee Taps:




Front Planks with Toe Taps:




Or you can add upper body movements where you tap your shoulders or reach out with one arm, making for a much harder upper body challenge.....be careful to not take both arms away, that doesn't end well!

Front Plank with Alternating Shoulder Taps:




And of course you can even add in more dynamic movement and do portions of mountain climbers or jumping jacks. Keep your planking diverse and interesting. All the way up to...

Mountain Jacks:



Dan Ritchie is co-founder and president of Functional Aging Institute (FAI).